How To Start Solo Traveling

If you're here reading this, you want to take the leap and hit the road, but there is one thing holding you back; the fear of going alone. The good news is that solo traveling is not as intimidating or scary as it might seem! All it requires is practice, taking it one step at a time, and getting out of your comfort zone. Eventually, you will be planning solo adventures left and right.

I have been all over the United States on my own. 47 states to be exact, and for all 47 of those travels, I was alone. Here's what I have come up with from my experience to help you get on your way to see the places you want to see. 

Step #1. Choose a place within 3 or 4 hours of where you live as your first solo trip. I recommend starting somewhere close to home so there is minimal preparation required and more time to really explore what it is like being with yourself on an adventure such as this. Whether you prefer to stay in a hotel, or camp at a campground, decide before leaving where it is you will be staying for the night and get your accommodations in place. Now the fun can begin! Leave early that morning. Be excited! And allow yourself to be open to spontaneous activities along the way. If you are like me, maybe check out some hikes on the way, stop by a random small-town museum, check out state or national parks. This is where you step out of your comfort zone and attempt to go with the flow. 

Tip for your first Solo overnighter: 

• If you are running low on ideas of activities you would like to try, my Instagram (@mountainmorgannn) is a great place for inspiration! Shoot me a message, check out my posts, or browse through the highlights. You can also check out bearfoottheory.com or outboundcollective.com. Alltrails.com is great to research hiking trails and even a simple google search of the area can be helpful. Just remember that part of the fun of traveling by yourself is the fact that you can do whatever YOU want to do. 

• Bring a journal or something to record your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. You might find that you feel liberated, scared, or anxious. You might have times where it's just plain boring to be by yourself. Take the time to write down every piece of the experience #1 so you can learn from it, #2 so you can remember it (you won't be traveling with anyone you can reminisce with later) and #3 so you can relive it any time you want. 

•  Repeat this step as many times as you want! It is meant to help you gain experience little by little, learn about yourself, and determine what you like and dislike when it comes to a trip of solitude. There is no one right way to do this and it will mean so much more to you if you can connect with what you enjoy. Steer clear of trying to live other's experiences.

Step #2. Evaluate what you did and didn't like from Step #1, pick a new place near or far, and give it a go with the adjustments made from your past experience. The truth about solo travels is that they aren't always wonderful! Sometimes plans fall through, its lonely, or things just go wrong, and it's frustrating that there isn't anyone there to help out. Other times it will be one of the most amazing experiences of your life and you'll wish that you could transport everyone to be there witnessing and experiencing what you are. Make changes to the way you carry out these trips based on what you learn from your smaller ones and then take the leap! If this is your first big trip, accept that at some point things won't go as planned and you will have to improvise. Trust yourself! This is the way it is supposed to be and it makes the journey beautiful and fun.

Some of my favorite solo extended trips include:

• Driving across the country from Utah to West Virginia. It was the most awful wonderful experience where I learned the ins and outs of a very long lone drive on a tight budget. 
•  Roadtrip from Utah to Oregon. This was a journey of healing. 
• A winter weekend in the Tetons for some soul searching and finding. 

Step #3. Keep at it! The more you go the more you'll know! There's no one secret to not being afraid, or staying safe, or finding the best places to visit. You have to become the explorer and make a map of your own! If your heart beckons you to go out and see the world by yourself, do it! You have everything to gain.

I believe Clarissa Pinkola Estes says it best:

"I hope you will go out and let stories, that is life, happen to you, and that you will work with these stories from your life--not someone else’s life--water them with your blood and tears and your laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom. That is the work. The only work.”

Happy solo traveling my friends!

- Mountain Morgan